Francis George Scott: Complete Music for Solo Piano
Among the few who know his music, Francis George Scott (1880–1958), a son of the Scottish Borders, is admired for having written some of the best art-songs by any British composer. In this first recording of any of his piano music, a handful of lyrical early pieces contrast with the 58 Bartókian miniatures that constitute Scott’s Intuitions – brief but atmospheric distillations of Scottish song, dance and landscape – and a set of virtuoso transcriptions of eight Scott songs by Ronald Stevenson (1928–2015), the major Scottish pianist-composer of the past century.
Christopher Guild, piano
Listen To This Recording:
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Eight Songs of Francis George Scott (transcribed by Ronald Stevenson)*
- No. 1 Since all thy vows, false maid, are blown to air
- No. 2 Wha is that at my bower-door?
- No. 3 O were my love you lilac fair
- No. 4 Wee Willy Gray
- No. 5 Milkwort and Bog-Cotton
- No. 6 Crowdieknowe
- No. 7 Ay Waulkin, O
- No. 8 There’s news, lasses, news
- Urlar
- April Skies
- No. 1 Lullaby. Grave
- No. 2 Trumpet Tune. Allegro moderato
- No. 3 Lonely Tune. Andantino
- No. 4 Running Tune. Animato
- No. 5 Lilting Tune. Andante
- No. 6 National Song. Andante
- No. 7 An Clarsair. Grave
- No. 8 Singing Game. Presto
- No. 9 Strathspey. Moderato
- No. 10 Processional. Comodo
- No. 11 Love’s Question and Reply (Dialogue). Andantino
- No. 12 Border Riding-Rhythm. Animato
- No. 13 Old Irish! Andantino
- No. 14 Deil’s Dance. Prestissimo
- No. 15 An Seanachaidh (Am Bàrd – Ossian). Largo
- No. 16 Benediction. Largo
- No. 17 Farewell to the Highlands
- No. 18
- No. 19 Slow
- No. 20 Urlar. Very Slow
- No. 21
- No. 22
- No. 23
- No. 24 Slow
- No. 25
- No. 26
- No. 27
- No. 28
- No. 29
- No. 30
- No. 31
- No. 32 Presto
- No. 33
- No. 34
- No. 35 Quick March
- No. 36 Riddles: No. 1
- No. 37 Riddles: No. 2
- No. 38 Riddles: No. 3, Gaelic National Anthem (in A major)
- No. 39 Riddles: No. 4, Question and Answer
- No. 40 Riddles: No. 5, Very Slow
- No. 41 (Riddles: No. 6) Bel-Ami
- No. 42
- No. 43
- No. 44 Souviens-toi? (1950) Very slow and expressive
- No. 45 Pibroch Urlar
- No. 46 Very Quick
- No. 47 Gaily
- No. 48 Adagio patetico
- No. 49 Quick and marcato
- No. 50 Rather Quick
- No. 50a Very Slow
- No. 51 Evening on the loch. Slow
- No. 52 The Two Neighbours (Campbell Hay)
- No. 53 Slow
- No. 54 Slow and legato
- No. 56 Slow and legato
- No. 57 Hymn-tune
- The Two Neighbours (Campbell Hay) – alternative setting (1952)
- Minuet
- La Joie
Urlar (1948)
April Skies (?1912)
Intuitions (1943–53)
Minuet and Trio (1903)
La Joie (c. 1910)
ALL Except * FIRST RECORDINGS
MusicWeb International :
‘I cannot fault the sound quality. Christopher Guild’s recital of this music is engaging and always convincing. There is no element of condescension when he is playing the “easier” numbers and the unsophisticated early works. […]
There is much in these pages that does not require a virtuosic technique that would be of considerable interest to many pianists of all abilities.’
—John France, MusicWeb International